My New Feeding Program

[O So]

Since I got Pippin, I have been trying to figure out a feeding program. Do I want to keep feeding him what he has been eating before I got him? Do I want to feed O So what Pippin was eating? Or, do I just want to wean Pippin off of his feed and go with what I have been doing with O So?

Here is what I was doing with O So. He gets Orchard hay 4 times a day. I try to make it to where there is a bit of hay left when I go to feed the next feeding of hay. So almost free choice. He gets a pound of Strategy twice a day. He only weighs 150lbs give or take.

Here is what Pippin was eating before I got him. He got 4 lbs of Stable Mix twice a day. ( A Folgers Coffee can full, which I weighed and it was 4 lbs.)

I tried to separate the two at meal times, when I first brought Pippin home. It didn't go over to well with him. LOL He just paced and whinnied till he could see O So again. So I bought another feeder and installed it down the wall from O So's. That was the ticket. They both now eat in their own feeders, no squabbles are anything. It was quite amazing to see. But, the only bad thing, is I had to feed them the same things, basically. That was the best way to keep the peace and it is working well.

I decided that since O So is really good about food changes, I would just give him some Stable Mix, instead of trying to change Pippin by taking away the stable mix cold turkey. I don't know how he would handle the drastic food change.

My new feeding program is this now.

They both get free choice hay. (Fed the 4 times a day) I also have hay nets in 2 different parts of the yards. So they can munch on that too if they want.

They both get 1 lb of Stable Mix, mixed with water. (that is what the PO did with Pippin) Twice a day.

They both get about 1/2 a pound of Strategy. Twice a day.

I cut back on the Strategy, one, because I think O So is getting a bit fat. My friend at the stables mentioned he look like he was gaining weight, and my Mom just came over yesterday and said he looked pretty fat. And two, Pippin has never had Strategy, so I figured that was a good amount to start him off on.

So in total on the feed part of it, they both get 2 pounds of Stable mix a day and 1 pound of Strategy.

I am thinking of gradually doing away with mixing the Stable Mix with water. It is kind of a pain, although I don't mind doing it, I am just trying to think of when and if we ever go out of town. The horse sitters would have to deal with it, and I am trying to make it as simple as possible for a non horse person to take care of my guys. I called the maker of Stable Mix to ask about taking the water out of the feeding and she said it was fine for a young horse but felt that an older horse would benefit from it. So my guys both being young, should be able to eat the mix with out it being soaked. Pippin is used to it that way so if I did cut it out, I would just slowly use less and less water.

So what do you guy's think? What are your opinions on the new feed program? I know I may have to adjust here are there depending on weight loss or gain, but I think for now it will work.

Oh, and Pippin I am guessing weighs a bit less then O So. He looks smaller in conformation then O So does. Once I get my bus situated for 2 horses, I will be taking them down to my local dog vet to weigh them on their big dog scale! That way I will know their weights. I plan on working on the bus once this storm is over. Well, that is when I plan on loading them both, just to see if I need to work on the bus. Some say my stall is big enough the way it is. I will soon see.

Thanks for any opinions or suggestions!

 

[mydaddysjag]

I would try to get them on one type of feed, not mixing the two. By mixing two you are throwing the vitamin and mineral balance out of wack.

If you stay with stable mix you shouldn't need to soak it if your feeding with hay. I feed a complete pellet and do not soak. If your not adding hay you would be feeding quite a bit more pellets, and then I would defiantly soak. It keeps moisture in the gut to try to help prevent impaction (which tends to happen more often in horses who get a lot of concentrates)

Adding water is certainly a good idea, with any pellet, but its not a necessity. Do both of your guys drink enough? If they dont, I would soak their feed just to get more water in them.

 

[AnnaC]

As I'm in the UK and not familiar with your brands of horse food, I can't really comment on your feeding programme, except to say that while you obviously will hve to mix different feeds together during the change over, the sooner you can get them on to one type of food only, the better.

I do, however, want to add a word of warning about haynets. I would be very reluctant to use haynets with your two young boys - they could easily get 'hooked up' in them during their playtime, or one could be eating and one come over to start a playgame, both rear up and legs go through into the net. Anyway they are better off having their hay at ground level in a natural grazing position if possible.

Glad to see they have both settled down so well - you will soon have to think of another one so you have a companion for the one left behind when you take one off walkies or for fun elsewhere! LOL!!

Anna

 

[O So]

As I'm in the UK and not familiar with your brands of horse food, I can't really comment on your feeding programme, except to say that while you obviously will hve to mix different feeds together during the change over, the sooner you can get them on to one type of food only, the better.

I do, however, want to add a word of warning about haynets. I would be very reluctant to use haynets with your two young boys - they could easily get 'hooked up' in them during their playtime, or one could be eating and one come over to start a playgame, both rear up and legs go through into the net. Anyway they are better off having their hay at ground level in a natural grazing position if possible.

Glad to see they have both settled down so well - you will soon have to think of another one so you have a companion for the one left behind when you take one off walkies or for fun elsewhere! LOL!!

Anna

Thanks for the advice on the hay nets. I didn't think about them rearing up and getting caught. I did hang them to where they wouldn't hang themselves though. I really want to make one of those boxes that one puts a small wire mesh type metal on top of the hay. I will work on that and get rid of the hay nets!

As far as getting another for the one left behind, it's not going to happen. LOL I'm not leaving one behind. I plan on taking them both on walks together. If that doesn't work out, I plan on leaving one in a pen (at the stables) while I walk the other and then switch. They will have big horse company while in the pen. They of course won't be able to reach the big horse, but at least they can talk to each other.

 

[O So]

So what I should be doing is either feed the Stable Mix (complete feed) or the Strategy? Not both at the same time.

Boy, this horse feeding business is a hard thing to figure out. LOL I was good on what I was doing till another horse came into the mix. Now it makes me wonder, should I go with what he was eating or should I go with the Strategy that O So is eating.

Part of me is wanting to just feed the Stable Mix and Hay. The other part of me is saying that Strategy sounds like it is better for them, to keep feeding that and do away with the Stable Mix. I think I will go with the Strategy and Hay. Since I already feed Hay and the Complete feed is basically a hay with extras, I might as well not feed it and hay too. I want to keep feeding the hay because of the 'grazing' aspect to it.

So I think I will go with Strategy 1 pound a day per horse, and Orchard Hay, free choice. Going with 1 pound a day per horse of Strategy because the bag say's to feed 1% to 1.5% of body weight a day. So O So weighs 150 pounds give or take. Pippin probably weighs a bit less. I think O So is getting kind of chunky ( was feeding him 2 lbs of Strategy a day, till 2 days ago). So I think the pound a day will work. I can adjust from there.

Now I just need to get through the whole bag of Stable Mix. Hate to just toss it out. I also still need to wean Pippin off of it. Do you guy's think it will hurt them to have both Strategy and Stable Mix for about 2 weeks or so. It is a 50 bag. I'm guessing it will take me that long to go through it between both horses. I don't mind tossing a 1/4 of the bag, but hate tossing a full bag.

How does that sound for a feeding program?

 

[Marty]

I don't have a clue what your stable mix is but its kind of funny that the local feed store carries what they call Stable Mix and so does Tractor Supply and our Farmer's Co-op and they are all made by different companies I never heard of but they all seem pretty low end to me I guess every company has had a "stable mix" from time to time. Popular name. Anyhow, I'd keep with Strategy because you know who its maker is and can easily find information about it on their website at Purina Mills. Good luck and best wishes as always. You are sure working hard to be a good horsey mommy.

 

[bluerogue]

If you are feeding Elk Grove Stable Mix, it is a very well known company here, and a very quality feed. The company is local here, and very well respected. The feed they produce is high quality, and I've fed it for several years now. It has always been high quality, and my horses love it. The only time I feed something else with it is when I have babies, or pregnant mares. I add in omelene for them.

 

[GrullaBlue]

I agree with what Marty said...it kinda sounds like a low end feed to me (perhaps it's not...not enough information!) where Strategy is a well known feed. I also agree with not mixing the two. They could be getting too much of some things by getting two feeds. The only thing I mix is beet pulp with my feed, and a vitamin/mineral supplement that is formulated for horses in our area. (not for the minis...but my big horses, on the beet pulp that is!)

Hard to tell on O So without feeling him with so much winter coat...but just looking at him through your photos, he looks pretty heavy to me....but that may just be hair! But he also seems quite happy and active...it may be more hair than weight, but your new one seems to have quite a coat too...but doesn't appear to be heavy. But if he is carrying more weight than he should, I think Pippin will help him shed some of that!

But I'd probably pick a feed and just stick to one...it would be easier for you, and anyone who comes to feed for you...less to store...and you'll know exactly how much of what they're getting. JMO! =)

 

[O So]

I think O So has gotten a little chunky. Feeling him you can't feel his back bone or ribs or hip bones, like you could when I first got him. I think some of the bulk you see in the pics, is partly his hair though. It's funny, sometimes you look at him and his belly look huge, other times (in the same visit) he seems just fine.

Pippin on the other hand is kind of skinny. I can feel his back bone and his hip bones. I have not felt for his rib bones yet. He still looks good in the tummy though. Unlike O So did when I got him. He was skinny with a big belly. I don't think it would hurt to put a few pounds on Pippin, as long as he doesn't get a belly. I really like his belly compared to O So's. I'm beginning to think that O So may just have a big belly no matter what.

Yes, the Stable Mix is Elk Grove Stable Mix. I have to say they were very helpful when I called them.

Here is a pic from today looking at him from the side.

Here is from the top.

Here is Pippin from the side

From the top

I really like how Pippin stomach looks more proportionate to his body. You can see how O So's still looks big compared to his body.

I will be able to tell a bit better once they lose all their fuzzy's! LOL

I think you are right about Pippin helping O So lose that chunkyness. He is a lot more active since I got Pippin!

Thanks for all the suggestions and opinions. It is pretty tough for me. I want nothing but the best for my guy's and I was doing so well with what I was doing, then someone else ( Pippin) came along with a new (to me) type of food. Made me start to wonder, what I should be feeding. What would be best. That is why I thought I could do both, but I guess not. LOL Thanks to you guy's I now know that.

 

[Marty]

Oh just to let you know I found out two of the names of feed I was referring to: Grayers Stable Mix and GT Stable Special

 

[mydaddysjag]

You should be fine to leave them on the two feeds mixed for a few weeks, you just dont want to leave them on it long term because feeds are meant to be fed in certain amounts to get the nutrients on the tag. You start mixing them, and in the long run your horse usually ends up deficient on something, with too much of something else. Ive been down that road.

Either product looks fine. The one thing strategy has going for it is that is is readily available pretty much anywhere, even on the other side of the country lol. Purina often sends out pretty good coupons too ($5 off a bag)

Strategy tends too be a little too much for my 11 year old gelding, so I have him on Purina Equine Adult, its a little lower in protein and fat. Its a complete feed (like your stable mix, it does not require you to feed hay) however I feed it with hay because im scared to death of impaction colics, and when Ive cut my hay back in the past, my horses have developed bad habits. Upped their hay, and the habits disappeared.

Oso looks a little chunky, but he has a thick coat, and its winter. Your feeding hay 4x a day so naturally they have a bit more belly than a show horse on a restricted hay diet. Mine has been on basically free choice hay all winter, you should see him lol.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

OK, first off, Haynets.

You love them or loathe them.

I love them, I have used them all my life, I have not had an accident. I will not feed hay on the ground, especially to geldings, as they roll pee and poo in more than they eta. If you can make (or get made for you) a slow feeder that works on the horses more or less eating form the ground, this would be the very, very best thing to do, but, as I said, I have always used haynets and, properly supervised, and, of course, the smallest holes available, they seem OK (so far so good!)

Feed:

The horses digestive system (yes, here we go again...) works on roughage, not protein. They eat loads and loads of ...stuff...and extract form it what they can.

We do not want this, we want them to have good stuff.

But the horses digestive tract does not know this, so, if you feed only "feed" they will use around 50% of it as bulk, to carry the rest through the gut, and dump it out the other end as very expensive rose manure.

If you feed chaff (hay chop) or Beet Pulp (soaked) this acts as bulk, allowing you to feed a fraction of the "grain" part of the diet.

On to hay.

You feed four times a day.

What do you do at night?

If they eat all day, and that is right that they should be doing so, they should also be eating, or able to eat, all night.......

Just a thought.

Back to the slow feeder. If you do a search on them (I hope you can as I have not the faintest idea how to or I would have put a link up!) you will see that a couple maybe more come with instructions on how to build them.

If you feel up to it, give it ago yourself.]If not, buy all the materials and sit hubby down in front of it with the printed out instructions and gaze at him adoringly until he gives in and builds it for you.

Sexist, I know, but hey, whatever works- yeah?

And you did get Pippin!

 

[wingnut]

The feed amounts you list are a lot higher than what I'm currently doing. Is it because a complete feed requires more quantity?

By comparison here's what I do with our 4 girls (neither feed is a complete feed):

• Hardkeeper / 12 yr old mare (33"): 1lb Omolene 300 2x a day with a weight supplement 1x a day
• Super easy keeper (31") (i.e., she gains weight when she breathes
  
  ): 1/4 lb of Strategy (white bag) 2x a day
• Two yearlings (30-31") (will be 2 in May/June): 1/2 lb of Strategy 2x a day.

Everyone gets free choice alfalfa/orchard grass mix hay.

I came to these measurements after consulting with a Purina rep, talking with our local feed mill's equine expert, and reading the opinions of folks here on the board. And of course, a little bit of trial and error.

I know that as a newbie, getting to a "final" feeding program was my biggest challenge because of all the different opinions and options out there.

 

[O So]

I feed hay 4 times a day. They get one feeding at about 7.30 in the morning. Next one is at about noon, then about 4.30pm then the last one around 7 pm at night. They still have hay in their feeders when I go out and feed the next morning. So they can munch all day and night if they want. In fact, I have to clean the feeders out once in a while because they get full or there is hay all over in front of it. I take it out and spread it in their yards and next thing you know they are munching on it out in the yard. So really they don't waste much, as long as i spread it out once a week. Guess they like to eat outside more, or maybe it is more natural to eat it off the ground outside instead of off the ground in the stall. LOL They also have the new hay nets to munch on too.

As far as the amount of complete feed, I was just going by the tag. It said to feed 1.5 to 2 Pounds of feed per every 100 lbs of horse. I figure my horses weigh in at about 130 to 150 pounds. So I decided for now to give 2 pounds per horse, per day. Pippin was used to getting 8 pounds a day.

I figured with the hay he gets all day now, he didn't need to have 8 pounds of complete feed. He didn't get hay before I got him, just the complete feed.

My vet told me to only be feeding O So 1 to 1.5 lbs of hay a day, and to cut the Strategy out all together. Said he didn't need grain and he was getting to much hay. I just can't see how that can be true when he doesn't have grass or anything else to munch on during the day. I already told you guy's about that, but thought I would mention it again to show that I have been talking to people around here about a feed program, but I didin't really care for what they said. I weighed the hay till I got to 1 pound and it was not even a quarter of a flake. So he wanted me to feed less then a quater of a flake a day. Talk about having nothing in his stomach between feeding and night time! Even my farrier said I should only being feeding about a pound a day of hay. So the people I talk to say I am feeding to much.

That is when I came up with a little bit of hay 4 times a day, making sure there was hay in the feeder between feedings, and the Strategy 2 times a day. Truthfully I think the Strategy is what made O So a bit chunky. I was feeding him almost 2 lbs a day of it. I think I should be cutting it down to 1 lb a day. Specially since he wasn't active. He is more now since I got Pippin, but not enough to justify keeping him on the 2 lbs of Strategy.

I hope you guy's are following this ok. I am trying to answer some of your questions and concerns with out actually quoting. I have a hard time trying to put multiple quotes in.

 

[mydaddysjag]

I have found that vets and farriers dont know anything about feeding minis. They automatically think they are air ferns and need fed next to nothing. Also, the feed tag is just a starting place for feed. Some horses dont need as much as the tag says, and you can cut it back a little if your horse is one of the easier keepers. I know my gelding gets less than the recommended amount of feed they reccomend on the tag. I add a vitamin/mineral supplement because since I feed less than the reccomended amount, he isnt getting the the guaranteed amounts of vitamins and minerals the tag says. I tried switching him to a ration balancer last season, but he didnt do well on it.

 

[wingnut]

I had my Purina rep send me the feeding guide she gave me a couple of years ago.

For Strategy here are the recommendations specific to miniature horses. All of these are based on feeding Strategy in addition to hay:

Maintenance: 100lb animal - 0.3 lbs per day / hay 1.5 to 2 lbs per day

200lb animal - 0.6 lbs per day / hay 3 to 4 lbs per day

300lb animal - 1.1 lbs per day / hay 4.5 to 6 lbs per day

Light work (same weights): 100 lb animal - 0.6

200 lb animal - 1.2

300 lb animal - 1.9

(skipping the broodmare and stallion listings)

Yearling: 140lb animal - 1.5lbs per day

160lb animal - 1.6lbs per day

180lb animal - 1.5lbs per day

 

[maplegum]

I'm not familiar with your feeds over there, I'm on the other side of the world!

Here is what I do. It's so simple.

Free choice hay, and access to the back field on a limited basis.

I feed a vitamin and mineral supplement daily. That's it.

My 2 are fat, shiney and healthy. No additional hard feeds, they are not needed.

Bailey has the same belly as O'So. he has never had a tucked up tight belly like his sister Willow. They are both fed the same stuff, so it must be in his genes. Same sire, different dams.